China’s foreign minister has said Beijing cannot accept any country acting as the “world’s judge” following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the United States.

 

 

 

“We have never believed that any country can act as the world’s police, nor do we accept that any nation can claim to be the world’s judge,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar during a meeting in Beijing, referring to what he described as the “sudden developments in Venezuela” without directly naming the United States.

 

 

 

Wang said the sovereignty and security of all countries must be fully protected under international law, in his first public remarks since images of the 63-year-old Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed emerged on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

Maduro is currently being held at a detention centre in New York and is expected to appear in court on Monday to face drug-related charges.

 

 

 

 

China has sought in recent years to position itself as a major diplomatic power, a goal it highlighted after brokering a surprise rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023 and pledging to play a constructive role in global conflict zones. Analysts say Beijing’s growing confidence has been reinforced by its willingness to confront Washington in trade negotiations.

 

 

 

However, President Donald Trump’s statement that the United States would oversee Venezuela’s government for the time being has put strain on the “all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership” China and Venezuela agreed to in 2023, marking nearly five decades of diplomatic relations.

 

 

 

We cannot accept countries acting as ?world judge – China says after US captured Venezuelan president

 

 

“It was a big blow to China. We wanted to look like a dependable friend to Venezuela,” a Chinese government official briefed on recent high-level contacts said, referring to meetings held just hours before Maduro’s capture.

 

 

 

China has provided Venezuela with a significant economic lifeline since U.S. and allied sanctions were tightened in 2017. Customs data show China purchased about $1.6 billion worth of Venezuelan goods in 2024, nearly half of which was crude oil. Chinese state-owned oil companies had invested an estimated $4.6 billion in Venezuela by 2018, according to data tracking overseas corporate investment.